Fuji workers vote to stay on strike

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More than 100 Fuji Xerox photocopy repairers voted in Sydney today to remain on strike after accusing the company of recruiting strike-breakers from overseas.

About 120 repairers in NSW walked off the job six days ago after negotiations for a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) broke down.

Workers in Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia and the ACT are also holding meetings today to discuss possible industrial action.

The Australian Services Unions (ASU), which represents the workers, said the repairers were angry at the company's refusal to rule out the use of satellite tracking and to tie any payrise to performance.

The workers are asking for a $2,000 to $2,500 pay rise per technician.

ASU president Sally McManus said the union learnt last night that the company had flown in 30 workers from Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand to act as a "strike-breaking force".

She said such action would only inflame the situation.

"This is an un-Australian act for any company let alone one that is employing the technician that comes in to fix your photocopy machine," Ms McManus told reporters.

"The members are extremely angry. Obviously it's a shock to them that the company would use a sledgehammer to deal with a normal industrial dispute."

Ms McManus said the union had concerns about whether the strike-breaking force had obtained appropriate work visas at such short notice.

The union would notify the Industrial Relations Commission of the dispute and the workers would hold another meeting on Thursday to discuss the situation.

Repairmen would take their concerns directly to the company's head office in North Ryde today, Ms McManus said.